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Important Update: Irregular Operations Due to Civil Unrest In Mexico

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In response to the significant operational disruptions caused by the civil unrest affecting cities throughout Mexico, particularly Puerto Vallarta (PVR), Guadalajara (GDL), and Manzanillo (ZLO), management continues to operate under an Irregular Operations (IROPS) situation. Our MEC and Committees are actively monitoring the situation and working with management to support our Flight Attendants. Management has posted alerts on Team AAG with information about the situation. We encourage you to review these alerts and continue to check Team AAG for additional updates.

All flights to and from PVR, GDL, and ZLO were canceled today (Sunday, February 22). Management intends to resume operations tomorrow (Monday, February 23), if conditions allow. All Mexico flights will follow section 8.S [Natural Disasters, Acts of War, Riots, Terrorism, etc.] of the CBA, with all crews turning and no layovers. Please review section 8.S for details on applicable rules for these sequences, including extended duty days, pay, and rest provisions.

Your safety and well-being remain our top priority. Please review the following information carefully to understand your rights, responsibilities, and available resources.

What To Do If You Are Directly Impacted

If you are directly impacted by the disaster—such as a mandatory evacuation, property damage, loss of power, blocked transportation, or immediate safety threats—your number one priority must be your own safety and well-being. Contact your LEC Officers for assistance and guidance about your contractual protections.

If you cannot report to work because of the disaster, review the Commuter Policy in Section 36 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Notify Crew Scheduling as soon as you know you will be unable to reach your base. Keep any necessary documentation to be submitted to management as required. The Commuter Policy protects you if travel is disrupted for reasons outside your control. For more details or assistance, please refer to the contract or contact your LEC Officers.

If You Are On a Layover

If you’re on a layover, focus on your safety and well-being. Stay with your crew and other Alaska crew members if possible. Follow the instructions from local authorities and hotel staff regarding sheltering or evacuation. If you’re told to leave, ensure your safety before taking any further action. Once you’re safe, please notify Crew Scheduling and your LEC Officers of your status and location as soon as possible. Keep records of your situation, save receipts for any personal expenses, and keep your phone charged for updates.

Contractual and Scheduling References (CBA)

Click here to view our current contract >

Please reference the following sections of our CBA to understand your rights and responsibilities during this IROPS situation:

  • Sections 8.K, 8.L, 8.M, and 8.N: Rest Requirements: In prolonged IROPS situations, rest periods may be impacted. Know your minimum rest requirements and legal limitations. If you believe your rest is compromised, immediately contact Crew Scheduling and your LEC Officers.
  • Letter of Agreement (LOA) 6: Fatigue Risk Management Plan (FRMP): If you’re too fatigued to fly, you can call in fatigued under the FRMP and be removed from duty so you can rest. Review this section for details on how the program works, your options, and what you need to do after making a fatigue call.
  • Section 8.G: Fourteen-Hour (14:00) Duty Provisions: If you’re at a domicile or co-terminal and your duty period shows in Crew Access as projected to or actually exceeding 14 hours, you may contact Crew Scheduling and choose to be replaced and pay protected. If you remain on the pairing or are at an outstation and don’t have the option to be replaced, you’ll receive premium pay.
  • Section 8.I: Night Rule: This applies if you are on duty at 4:29 AM local time (using the initial departure station time for that duty period) and your duty day in Crew Access is expected to be longer than 10 hours and 30 minutes. You may contact Crew Scheduled to be released by 8:30 AM local time if you’re at a domicile, or receive extra pay if you waive the Night Rule or are at a co-terminal or outstation and can’t be released.
  • Section 10.R: Reassignments: These provisions apply when your pairing is revised on or after the first day of a sequence. The Reassignment Flow Chart provides a guide to help you understand how Crew Scheduling handles reassignments and same-day schedule changes. The Reassignment Pay Flow Chart explains what pay you’re due for being reassigned.
  • Section 10.S: Pre-Cancellations: This section applies when a flight on your schedule is canceled before the first day of the pairing that includes the canceled flight. The Pre-Cancellation Flow Chart explains your options if you’re affected. 
  • Sections 21.J, 21.M, 21.N, and 21.Q: Pay and Compensation for Disrupted Trips: These sections explain pay protection and how you’ll be credited for flight cancellations or delays caused by IROPS. It’s important to monitor Rainmaker after completing your pairing to ensure that any additional pay due to you is properly credited. See A Note About Pay below.
  • Section 34: Lodging and Transportation: This section outlines the company’s responsibility to provide transportation and accommodations if you’re stranded or away from your base due to IROPS. If you don’t receive company-provided transportation within 35 minutes of block-in or your hotel room key within 90 minutes of arrival at the hotel, you may be able to arrange your own transportation or hotel (self-help) by following the steps in Section 34.D. Be sure to keep records of your wait times and document them as described in this section to protect your rights and possibly get compensation for the wait.

A Note About Pay
To help ensure your compensation is accurate, pay analysts pull reports weekly, but it’s essential for you to review Rainmaker prior to filing any pay inquiries—unless a specific exception is outlined in the required inquiries drop-down menu. Doing this helps resolve the most common issues more quickly and avoids unnecessary delays. After your Rainmaker is updated, AFA Representatives are able to assist with pay inquiries if you still have questions or concerns.

Resources Available

We strongly encourage you to utilize the following resources for assistance and up-to-date information:

  • AFA Irregular Operations Quick Reference Guide: This is your main source for AFA-specific information about IROPS, contact details for key AFA Representatives, and contract references.
  • Company Scheduling & Operations:
    • Crew Scheduling: Contact for any questions about trips, hotels, or immediate operations.
    • Base Management: May be able to assist with non-scheduling-related issues (such as hotels or transportation) if Crew Scheduling hold times are too long. Watch for Team AAG alerts to see if management is activating base management to assist with these tasks.
    • Team AAG Alerts: Management may use these to quickly share new information, updates, or instructions.
  • AFA Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee: A confidential resource available 24/7 to help you and your family cope with stress, trauma, or emotional distress resulting from the natural disaster and operational disruption.
    • EAP Contact: (949) 470-0493 or eap@afaalaska.org
  • Local Council Support: Your LEC Officers and Committees (especially Hotel, Scheduling, and EAP) are ready to help. You can find their contact information by following the link to your Local Council’s committee list on the Contact Us page of afaalaska.org.
  • Safety Reporting: If you encounter any safety concerns, please use the appropriate reporting method (e.g., ASAP, FAIR, etc.) to document the situation. You can also reach out to our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) for help or advice.

We appreciate your professionalism, resilience, and patience during this challenging period. Please take care of yourselves and your flying partners. We’ll continue to update you as the situation evolves and we receive more information from management.

Meet Our Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson–New Hire & Probation

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

We’re excited to introduce our newly elected pre-merger Alaska MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation, Meghan Casey. Meg began her term immediately upon being elected last week. Below, you’ll find a brief biography highlighting her background and experience as she begins her work supporting our Flight Attendant group.

Meghan Casey, MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation

Meg has been a Flight Attendant based in San Francisco since 2017, when she began her career at Virgin America. She grew up as an Army brat, moving every 2-3 years, which sparked her love of travel at a young age. Looking to pursue a career in service, she attended the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, earning a Bachelor’s degree in government, and subsequently served for 6 years as an active-duty officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. Following the completion of her commitment, she earned a Master’s degree in early childhood education from Lewis and Clark College, worked as a 3rd-grade teacher, and served in civilian administrative roles for the U.S. Coast Guard and the Navy.  Looking for a job that combined travel, meeting new people, and flexibility, Meg decided to pursue a job as a Flight Attendant and hasn’t looked back since. She’s currently due to earn her second Bachelor’s degree in anthropology/archaeology from Cal State East Bay in the summer of 2026. 

For the first 4 years as a Flight Attendant, Meg bounced back and forth between being on reserve and holding a line. Knowing that being on reserve can be among the most challenging years as a Flight Attendant, she pursued a role as the Council 35 (SFO) Reserve Committee Chairperson, a position she has held since 2021. During this time, she worked to ensure reserves were being treated fairly per our contract and also served as a reserve buddy, welcoming the new reserves to SFO. She’s excited to step into this new role as the MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chair for New Hire and Probation and looks forward to serving as an advocate, resource, and supporter for Alaska’s newest Flight Attendants. 

Meg lives outside Sacramento with her husband and young daughter, and when she’s not flying, she enjoys hiking, traveling, reading, and trying all the desserts.

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the position of MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidate has been elected:

MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation: Meghan Casey

Meghan will carry out her role specific to our six pre-merger Alaska Local Councils as we continue to navigate the merger process. Her official term begins immediately. She will serve for the remainder of the current MEC Officer election cycle, which ends on December 31, 2028.

If you have any questions about the MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation elections, please reach out to your LEC President.

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Thursday, December 11, representatives from our AFA Local Reserve Committees met to discuss their ongoing work to advocate for Reserve Flight Attendants. Representing you at the meeting were Conner Gallager (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Meghan Casey (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Rebecca Garcia (SAN). Also present were MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Julie Thornton, MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation Jarod McNeill, and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones. 

The Committee met with the new Director of Crew Scheduling Terrance Chariandy, and Interim Manager of Inflight Crew Scheduling Matthew Trujillo.

The committee is next scheduled to meet on Thursday, March 5, 2026.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed several items during both internal AFA-only discussions and meetings with management. Some of the topics discussed include:

  • New Crew Access Errors And How They Affect Reserves: Alaska IT Management is investigating the causes of these errors and exploring solutions to remedy them. These new errors will be added to the known issues document next week. This will provide guidance to Reserve Flight Attendants on what the errors are and how Scheduling can assist with manually processing specific tasks.
  • Out-Of-Order Assignments: If a Reserve Flight Attendant believes they were assigned out of order, they can notify Crew Scheduling. If confirmed by Scheduling, an annotation will be made to pay the out-of-order premium. However, the trip should not be removed and given to another Reserve Flight Attendant, as that also would be a violation of our contract.
  • CBA timeline implementations of outstanding items that will affect Reserves.
  • New update to Crew Access and upcoming updates to Crew Access next year.
  • Crew Scheduling Desk Assignments: A more in-depth explanation of what desks (positions) there are in Scheduling, what duties each desk is responsible for, and staffing updates.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Developing Additional Tools & Resources for Reserve Flight Attendants: Working to update Reserve 101, the Reserve survival guide and flow charts with new CBA provisions.
  2. Assisting Reserve Flight Attendants Through the Reserve Buddy Program: Answering questions from and providing support to Reserve Flight Attendants through an expanded AFA Reserve Buddy program.
  3. Addressing Reserve Contractual Concerns: Researching and investigating reports from Reserve Flight Attendants and actively ensuring that management complies with our contract.

We Want to Hear From You!

Do you have feedback for the Committee, concerns you’d like to share, or items you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know! Your Local Reserve Committee is your voice to management. You can open a support request on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or contact us directly using the information on the Reserve Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation Interviews – January 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Do you want to help new Flight Attendants as they go through initial training and probation? Our MEC is seeking a dedicated and organized Member in good standing to serve as the MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation. In this role, you’ll be the primary AFA point of contact for new hires, ensuring they receive the necessary support and resources. You’ll also monitor the company’s Initial Training program and assist in resolving any issues that arise. If you’re ready to support our newest Flight Attendants and help them with probationary challenges, this is your chance to get involved.

Qualifications

  • Strong organizational and communication skills.
  • Thorough knowledge of the current collective bargaining agreement, with in-depth understanding of sections on probation, hours of service, reserve, scheduling, attendance, and commuter policy.
  • Proficiency with Google Workspace (email, calendar, document sharing) and Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
  • Proficiency with or willingness to learn online issue tracking software such as SupportSystem.
  • Willingness to regularly attend and actively participate in Reserve Committee meetings, whether virtually or in person, as determined by committee requirements.
  • Commitment to following committee policies, procedures, and rules while upholding high ethical standards.
  • Ability to maintain the confidentiality of sensitive and personal information.
  • Must be an AFA Member in good standing (dues current).
  • Must remain in good standing with the company.

Duties

  • Regularly communicate with and provide activity updates to the MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson.
  • Coordinate with the MEC Inflight Training Committee Chairperson on any matters pertaining to Initial Training.
  • Coordinate the scheduling of the AFA New Hire Presentation for each Initial Training Class and ensure Company compliance with associated contractual language.
  • Facilitate assigned modules for the AFA New Hire Presentation or arrange for an approved alternate if unable to attend.
  • Maintain and regularly update AFA New Hire Presentation materials, documents, and resources, and work with the MEC Membership Engagement Committee Chairperson on updates related to the introduction to AFA and Union membership.
  • Ensure new hire Flight Attendants complete all necessary AFA membership paperwork by reviewing required forms, assisting with questions, and confirming all information provided is accurate before submission.
  • Transmit completed AFA membership paperwork promptly to the AFA Membership Services Department and securely maintain copies for MEC records.
  • Oversee and coordinate the Reserve Buddy program. Work with the Membership Engagement and Communications Committees to develop and implement a structured schedule that includes regular check-ins, educational materials, and resource sharing for new hires during their probation period. Gather feedback to improve the program and enhance new hire engagement and learning.
  • Support probationary Flight Attendants by accompanying them to probationary meetings with management and offering guidance during the process.
  • Serve as a resource to Local Reserve Committees on matters related to new hire and probationary Flight Attendants.
  • Be trained and remain qualified to perform any Reserve Committee position duties as needed.
  • Assist the MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson as assigned, including Reserve Committee tasks beyond new hire and probation scope.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

The time commitment for this position varies and may change based on the company’s hiring levels and current workload levels. Specific information about time commitment expectations and Flight Pay Loss for the position will be provided during the interviews. All positions operate in line with AFA’s spirit of volunteerism.

Working Relationships

With Local Reserve Committees

Frequent interaction with the Local Reserve Committee Chairpersons and Committee Members.

With The MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson

Constant interaction with the MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson.

With Other MEC Committees

Regular interaction with the MEC Inflight Training Committee Chairperson and MEC Membership Engagement Committee Chairperson; occasional interaction with other committees as needed.

With The Master Executive Council           

This position reports to the Master Executive Council through the MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson. The designated MEC Officer responsible for the committee is the MEC Vice President.

Term of Service

The elected candidate will serve for the upcoming MEC Officer election cycle, beginning immediately upon election and concluding on December 31, 2028.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

To express your interest, please submit an expression of interest and your resume using the online form (link below). The submission deadline is 5 PM Pacific Time on Monday, December 29, 2025. No submissions will be accepted after this deadline.

Click here to submit an expression of interest form >

Please note that a Google account is required to submit the expression of interest form. If you don’t have a Google account, you can create one for free. Visit https://accounts.google.com/signup to get started.

Eligible candidates will be contacted within one business day of submitting the form and invited to complete a one-way video interview. You’ll receive questions via an online platform and record your responses on video. There is no live interaction, and you may complete the interview at your convenience before the deadline.

After the deadline, the MEC will review all submissions and video interviews. Finalists will be invited to a live interview with the MEC, and an MEC representative will contact all candidates to share results and schedule interviews for finalists.

Live interviews with finalists will be held during the January Regular MEC Meeting, from Monday, January 12, to Wednesday, January 14. Please plan your schedule to ensure availability (either through proactive bidding or other scheduling adjustments) if you are selected as a finalist. Finalists may interview in person in Honolulu, HI, or virtually via Google Meet.

Timeline

DateEvent
Monday, December 5Expression of interest form becomes available
Monday, December 29 @ 5 PM PTDeadline for submitting expression of interest forms
Tuesday, December 30 @ 9 AM PTDeadline for submitting one-way video interviews
Tuesday, December 30 – Saturday, January 3MEC reviews all submitted expressions of interest and one-way video interviews
Monday, January 5Finalists notified
Monday, January 12 – Wednesday, January 14Live interviews with MEC and elections
Thursday, January 15Results announced

Questions?

If you have any questions about the position itself or its associated duties and responsibilities, please contact MEC Vice President Brice McGee at mecvp@afaalaska.org.

If you have any questions about the expression of interest form or interview process, please contact MEC Secretary-Treasurer Paul Ikioka at mecst@afaalaska.org.

Important Update: Irregular Operations Due to Civil Unrest In Mexico

In response to the significant operational disruptions caused by the civil unrest affecting cities throughout Mexico, particularly Puerto Vallarta (PVR), Guadalajara (GDL), and Manzanillo (ZLO), management continues to operate under an Irregular Operations (IROPS) situation. Our MEC and Committees are actively monitoring the situation and working with management to support our Flight Attendants. Management has […]

Invitation to Training: What To Do if a Union Member is Detained

The California Federation of Labor Unions is offering a series of Union Rapid Response Trainings. The next session, “What To Do if a Union Member is Detained,” will offer practical information and guidance on how to respond if this happens. Details of the training are as follows: Date: Thursday, February 19Time: 11:30 AM to 1 PM PTLocation: Zoom Please register […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – February 2026

On Monday, February 9, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met virtually to receive an update about current layover hotels and transportation providers and discuss concerns with management. Representing you at the meeting were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (SEA), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Brian Sherill (LAX-pmAS), and Kanani Vallot (SAN), with MEC […]

SEA Domicile Negotiations Update – February 2026

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants SEA Domicile May Vacancy Posting The company has posted vacancies for the SEA domicile. There are 121 permanent vacancies available, effective May 1, 2026 for the May bid month. Bids will close at 11:59 PM HT on Monday, February 16. Awards will be posted by 12:00 PM […]

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – January 2026

On Wednesday, January 28, our AFA Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Deb Wallstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA), Kalin Lackey (PDX), Brad Young (SFO & MEC ASHSC Vice […]

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